Government unmoved by PN suggestion to increase MPs on environment committee

The government is adamant that the parliamentary committee for the environment should be chaired by one of its MPs, turning down a direct request by the opposition … and a less direct one by Marlene Farrugia.

In a heated discussion between the government and the opposition, PN leader Simon Busuttil even suggested that the composition of the parliamentary committee should increase from five to seven.

Repeating what Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told the media earlier, Environment Minister Leo Brincat said that the government nominates the committee chair. It was a basic rule, he added, that the government enjoys the majority on these committees.

“The environment committee is composed of five members; to even appoint an independent MP to the committee is already a change in the law itself. The Prime Minister has already stated that he is not against the opposition giving Farrugia one of its seats,” Brincat said.

The opposition drove home the message that it was ready to agree to any amendments which would allow Farrugia to chair the committee.

“We are currently changing the law and the government has a golden opportunity to walk the talk. Clearly, this is not about what the government cannot do, but about what it doesn’t want to do,” Busuttil said.

The opposition leader went on to add that the government had been quick to amend laws allowing government MPs to chair entities.

Whilst thanking the PN leader for the nomination, Farrugia said she didn’t want to occupy one of the two seats allocated to the opposition. “I am an independent MP with a resounding approval by eNGOs to chair this committee,” she said.

Few interventions by the government MPs were made compared with the several opposition MPs who stood up supporting Farrugia’s nomination to the committee.

Deputy government whip Deborah Schembri argued that laws shouldn’t be changed “to accommodate a single person”.

“I have nothing against [Marlene Farrugia] but a law shouldn’t be changed to accommodate a single individual. Do you know how many people out there want laws to be changed?” she said.

Intervening, Farrugia pointed out that MPs were in parliament to change laws and to adapt to changing times. “If there is a hot seat right now, it is the chair of this committee. It requires impartiality,” she said, hitting out at the ‘clique’ that was controlling the government.

Farrugia argued that the government MPs would never agree to her chairing the committee “because the decision has already been taken by the kukkanja that controls the government”.

Government whip Godfrey Farrugia – Marlene Farrugia’s partner – was forced to politely intervene and urge deputy speaker Censu Galea to redirect the session and continue discussing the draft legislation.